


electricity running through my veins

by budapestagain



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, First Kiss, Getting Together, Ivy ships it, M/M, Nygmobblepot, Slow Dancing, They'll be the death of me, ed forgives oswald
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 05:55:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11776860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/budapestagain/pseuds/budapestagain
Summary: Oswald cannot deny his love for Ed. Despite everything.And maybe there's a reason Ed can't kill Oswald.





	electricity running through my veins

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS MY FIRST PUBLISHED NYGMOBBLEPOT FANFIC. they are soulmates and murder husbands and if they don't get together in season 4, I will cry.

Oswald was exhausted.

 He’d thought that being a criminal kingpin  _ and  _ mayor was tiring. He’d thought that being ‘dead’ was tiring. But he was wrong.  _ This  _ was the worst thing in the world. Oswald was  _ hiding from Edward Nygma _ . Edward Nygma! The same Edward Nygma who used to make Oswald breakfast and make up riddles instead of just  _ telling him the stupid answers to his damn questions. _

 Ed was supposed to be the one constant in Oswald’s life. He was there when Oswald needed help and when he wanted to tell someone about his newly found (and apparently temporary) sanity and when he ran for mayor and when his enemies were against him and-

 Oswald swallowed thickly.  Ed wasn’t there anymore. His riddles and his smile and the way he was always there for Oswald. It was just gone. He was always a comforting presence in the corner of the room; he stood behind Oswald during speeches; he was always a phone call away when there was too much grief over his parents’ death. And now things had changed. And Ed wasn’t  _ there _ . He was somewhere. He was in Gotham somewhere, plotting Oswald’s death, with those morons in their ridiculous love triangle.

 Maybe it was a good thing that Ed wasn’t there to see Oswald skulking in a back alley, waiting impatiently for Ivy to come back from her trip to Selina Kyle’s apartment. He paced for a few minutes then settled on the wall, making sure that his hood covered his face.

 He looked at his hands and saw that he needed to cut his nails. Ed normally reminded him about that. He also needed a haircut. And a new suit. And a reputation. 

 God, he missed Ed.

 The thought came out of nowhere and Oswald recoiled from it, hands shaking uncontrollably. He didn’t miss Ed. He missed Ed’s presence. And by that he meant...he meant that he missed Edward Nygma, the man who had  _ killed him _ . Oswald laughed to himself, quietly, and thought about what his mother would say. She would tell him to keep his head up and shoulders back and walk proud and strong. She would tell him that he was her little Oswald and she loved him. She would tell him...that everyone got one true love and when you found it, you held onto it.

  But Ed had let go of him so what did that say about  _ true love _ ?

 Oswald closed his eyes and tried to think about anything other than Ed for the next twenty minutes until Ivy came back out, gleefully holding a kitten. Oswald took one look at her grin and the dark tabby and sighed. Ed wouldn’t bring home a cat. Ed was against pets, in fact, as was Oswald. It was one of the reasons that they were so good together. As friends. Ed wouldn’t want a cat in the house.  _ Oswald’s  _ house, not Ed’s. Ed had moved out after he killed Oswald. Ed had given up on them. On their  _ friendship _ .

 “Fine,” he said and Ivy clapped her hands together happily.

 “Yay!”

 God, he hated cats. And he really  _ really  _ missed Ed.

A few days later and Oswald was trapped. Between Ed and a hard place. He smirked before he could stop himself and Ed glared down at him.

 “Why are you so confident, Oswald? What tricks are up your sleeve? Because I bet mine are better.” Ed was wearing that  _ stupid  _ hat again. Who did he think he was? Oh yes, the Riddler. Oswald hated it all. The name, the outfit, the hat, the  _ name _ . What was wrong with Edward Nygma? That was a good name. That was a solid name. Edward Nygma, chief of staff, had been a good person - kind of.

 The Riddler was a jerk. A self-centred arrogant dick who dealt in playground taunts.  _ Mine’s bigger than yours _ . Oswald hated him. He hated the Riddler and the gun pointed at his chest - didn’t Ed know that he wasn’t going to shoot? Oswald could tell he wouldn’t shoot. He never did. They’d been like this a few times, now, teasing and dancing around each other, and nothing ever came of it.

 Oswald wasn’t even trying anymore.

 “Ed,” he said, tiredly, and Ed sighed in frustration.

 “The  _ Riddler _ !” He insisted. “You should treat with more respect. My power exceeds yours.”

_ I have better toys than yours. _

 “I don’t care,” Oswald said.

 “Are you giving up?”

_ Only losers give up! _

__ “I’m saying that we can’t sustain this feud of ours, Ed.” Ed’s jaw clenched but thank God, he’d didn’t insist on the name. “If you’re going to kill me, kill me.” Ed’s fingers flexed around the trigger of his gun. This was a risk but Oswald really didn’t care. His sense of self-preservation had left him when he’d realised that killing Ed would just make Oswald miss him more.

 “I should kill you right here!” Ed announced dramatically. Oswald was pressed against a building, surrounding by walls and Ed blocking the only escape route. He was defenceless and Ivy didn’t know where he was. “You killed Isabella!”

_ You stole my bike. _

__ “I loved her!”

_ That was my new bike. _

__ “You have no chance against me!”

_ I’m bigger than you. _

__ “Kill me.”

 Ed blinked at him and his mouth was open, words lost in the cold air. Oswald thought back to their last - and first - Winter together. Ed had worn sweaters when they had nowhere to go and Oswald had bought a giant blanket - with arms! Ed had been delighted - for when the mansion got too chilly at night. They watched Christmas films sometimes and sometimes they played cards, their games lit only by candlelight. Most of the time, Ed would read a book, legs stretched out, and Oswald would perch next to him, his own legs balancing on an adjacent chair, either reading or signing documents or making plans. They’d both occasionally share details of their books or their thoughts but it was mostly quiet. Peaceful.

 “W-what do you mean?” Ed stammered. “You want me to-”

 “Why not?”

 “Because…” Ed cleared his throat, shook his head. “I thought you were better than this,” he said, his voice raspy again and confident, although Oswald could hear the tendrils of doubt pushing through. Ed had been okay because Oswald had fought back. Now Oswald had given up and Ed was struggling to regain control.

 “I was. Until a few weeks ago, when you held a gun to me for the thousandth time, and I realised that you’re never going to kill me unless I make you.”

 “You can’t make me do anything.”

 Oswald snorted. “See? And now you’re not going to kill me,  _ again _ . I’m tired of this game! Can’t we just…” He’d spent the last few nights mulling over their options. And he didn’t want to kill Ed, not really. “Talk it over?” He suggested.

 “Talk? I killed you and you want to talk?”

 “We need to talk. And not bickering like in the prison cages.” Oswald knocked Ed’s gun away and noticed that the safety catch was still on.  _ For God’s sake, Ed _ , he thought,  _ at least try _ .

 “Where and when?”

 “Tomorrow.” That would give him enough time to get himself emotionally ready for a sit-down with the man he loved.  _ USED TO LOVE _ . He cursed himself. “Five o’clock. The mansion.” The place where he fell in love.

 “Deal.” Ed pocketed his gun and Oswald started to walk away then bumped into Ed. “Oh, I’ll-”

 “You go first,” Oswald said.

 Ed hesitated then turned around and walked away and turned left. Oswald followed, after counting to thirty in his head, and turned right. He needed to go left but he really didn’t want to run into Ed.

Ivy had insisted on him buying a new suit and Oswald had to admit that the purple did suit him. He wore a black shirt and a purple tie and let Ivy work wonders with his hair. A touch of eyeliner and he was ready. There was nothing he couldn’t handle with new clothes, a knife in his pocket and a glass of wine in front of him. Ivy’s cat wandered around the table as Oswald sat down and he watched it, frowning. He hated it; he’d banished it to staying in Ivy’s room but it just wouldn’t listen to him. Both the cat and Ivy seriously undermined his authority.

 “Is that yours?”

 Oswald looked up to see Ed stood at the doorway, staring at the cat in distaste. “No,” he said hastily then reminded himself that he had no reason to try to please Ed anymore. “It’s Ivy’s,” he added, forcing himself to remain calm. It had been so long since he’d seen Ed in the mansion. He had a gun in his pocket, Oswald noted, but he wasn’t worried.

 “It’s horrible.” Ed scrunched up his nose and Oswald hid his adoring smile in a bark of cool laughter.

 “Sit down,” he said and Ed did. This felt just like the old days. He shooed the cat away from the table and it actually listened. Things were falling into place. The fire was roaring and snow was falling outside and the record player was playing a disc full of slow classical music. All they needed was the blanket - which was in Ed’s untouched bedroom - and a book from their library.  _ His  _ library. Damn it!

 “What did you want to talk about?” Ed looked cautious - scared?

 “Us. Or what’s left of us. Our rel- _ friendship _ ,” Oswald quickly interrupted himself. He didn’t know how much anger Ed still held about Oswald being in love with him. The memory of the car and the melting ice and Ed’s enraged face when Oswald had confessed….his stomach turned. Ed seemed to notice the change in the room and reached out a hand, palm upturned. Oswald knew what he meant; he wanted Oswald to hold his hand. They never...he shouldn’t...In the end, Oswald looked at Ed - really looked at him- and saw the sincerity in his eyes, the slight smile. Oswald saw how worried he was, how doubtful, how scared he was that Oswald wouldn’t hold on and that he’d have to let go, again. Maybe Oswald was just projecting but in that moment, their minds were one, thoughts and feelings shared in that look. They hadn’t had that for ages, and Oswald had missed the electricity that sparked in his blood. He was surprised that his veins weren’t glowing with all that power.

 He held onto Ed’s hand.

 And Ed pulled him up off the chair, after getting off his own chair, and he led Oswald over to the record player - turned it off - and to the radio - turned it on and fiddled with it until he found the right station - and then they stood in the middle of the room, skin glowing with the waves of energy pulsing through their joined hands.

 Oswald had missed him. “I missed you,” he said.

 Ed smiled. “I missed you too. And-” He hesitated. “I forgive you.”

 “Really?”

 “Not completely. Not totally. But yes. I am trying so hard because I can’t li-” Ed broke off and shut his eyes. When he opened them, he looked at Oswald like he couldn’t quite believe that he was still there and his hand tightened slightly. His skin was warm. “I-”

 “I know,” Oswald said when it seemed like Ed was incapable of any more words. The radio started up and the host was saying something, saying words that blurred together, but suddenly Ed was nodding towards the radio like it was something important and Oswald listened, carefully.

_ “This is for Oswald from Ed. I really hope you haven’t killed me.”  _ The host laughed. “ _ Sounds like someone forgot an anniversary! _ ” He added then: “ _ this one’s dedicated to you, Oswald.” _

 A song started up. Oswald didn’t know it. It didn’t matter. Ed must have planned all this. Timed it perfectly. The thought made Oswald smile. It was slow enough to dance to. Or at least sway to. His leg was acting up and Ed seemed to know and let Oswald balance his weight on him.

_ Electricity running through my soul… _

__ Oswald rested his head against Ed’s chest, revelling in the sound of his thumping heart, just as fast as Oswald’s, and for once, he was thankful for the height difference as Ed’s lips pressed against his forehead. They were tangled into each other, flesh and blood. Oswald closed his eyes but there were still stars flashing in the darkness, stars that read  _ Ed Ed Ed Ed _ .

 “Ed,” Oswald mumbled, throat closing up, a warning of the oncoming tears. “Ed,” he repeated.

 “Oswald.” Ed sounded more firm, more confident. “I’ve finally worked it out.”

 “Worked what out?”

 “I thought I wasn’t good enough for you, I still think that, but you’re Oswald Cobblepot, the Penguin, and you’re so beautiful and brave and you’re so...amazing. I was scared that if we started this, I wouldn’t be enough for you. I was terrified of losing you, as my friend, as my mentor. That’s why I was so afraid of loving you.”  _ Loving you _ .

 Loving you.

 Loving you.

 Loving. You.

 Oswald laughed. He couldn’t help himself. It was a nervous reaction. But Ed understand. Of course he did. He laughed too.

 “I was so stupid.”

 “Give yourself some credit. I  _ did  _ kill your girlfriend.”

 The words slipped out before Oswald could stop himself and he felt Ed freeze against him. Oswald was about to apologise when he felt Ed shaking. He instantly untangled himself from their position and looked up but Ed was...Ed was laughing. He was holding a hand over his mouth, spluttering with laughter.

 “Oswald,” Ed said, once he’d regained a little control over himself, “she wasn’t the best person in the world to date. She was a bit obsessed. She dressed up as Miss Kringle.”

 “I did wonder about that when we saw her body at the morgue…”

 Oswald met Ed’s gaze and started laughing, too. That seemed to set Ed off again and they stood there, laughing, for at least five minutes. It was slightly hysterical and by the time, they’d stopped, sucking in much needed oxygen, their song was over and the radio had moved onto some fast pop song that Oswald was not prepared to dance to. He grinned at Ed.

 “I love you,” he said. “Idiot.”

 “I have a much higher IQ than you have, Oswald,” Ed said. He paused. “But I love you too.”

 Those four words were all Oswald had ever wanted to hear coming from Ed’s mouth. Well - there were four other words that he wanted to hear, but he might need to wait a little bit for that. Oswald stepped forward to hug Ed but Ed clearly had other plans.

 Their lips met quickly, hastily. It was rushed and Oswald jumped back in surprise, hand on his mouth.

 “I’m so sorry!” Ed exclaimed. “I thought that you-”

 Oswald kissed him and Ed made a noise of surprise. They were both idiots; they’d waited this long to do this. And  _ this  _ was amazing. This was Ed’s hands on his waist and his lips pushing, and him making delicious noises and Oswald  _ loved him so much that it hurt  _ and-

 “Oh my God!”

 They broke apart, both glaring at the source of the noise. Harvey Bullock and Jim Gordon stood there, eyes wide, guns limp in their hands, shock written all over their faces. Of course. Oswald couldn’t have one minute alone with Ed without interruptions.

 “Um.” Jim glanced at Harvey. “Nygma, you’re under arrest.”

 “For what?” Oswald demanded.

 “He killed people. Quite a lot of people.” Oswald couldn’t help the swell of pride at Jim’s words. “And he killed you.”

 “As mayor-”

 “Oswald, you can’t just overrule us on this,” Jim said.

 “Yes, I can.” He thought back to all the documents he’d had to sign during his time as mayor. He thought about all the laws that Ed had made him learn, however outdated or ridiculous. Ed had always said that it would come in handy one day. “According to a law of 1963, the mayor’s chief of staff is allowed to kill people in defence of the mayor.”

 A hand rested on the small of his back and Oswald looked up at Ed, heart pounding at his smile. He was so beautiful.

 “You’re saying that Nygma killed you in defence of you?”

 “I’m a danger to myself,” Oswald replied charmingly and Ed snorted. “I’m not pressing charges against Ed attempting to kill me. So, Detectives, you have no legal ground to stand on. Thus, you’re trespassing on the mayor’s property. You don’t want me to get the two of you arrested, do you?” He could hear Ed trying to suppress laughter.

 Harvey and Jim exchanged confused looks then Jim stepped forward. “I will-”

 “You  _ will  _ leave us alone now, Detective,” Ed said. He’d stepped forward, too, half-shielding Oswald. Jim saw the slight movement and his eyes narrowed. “If you hurt Oswald, I will reciprocate fully. And I’m sure that if you hurt me, Oswald has the capacity to injure you greatly.” He smiled. “See you later!”

 “Come on, let’s go,” Harvey said quietly. “Oh, and by the way, congratulations,” he added, glancing at Oswald and Ed with a smirk. “Fish Mooney owes me fifty dollars.”

 “Harvey!” Jim exclaimed and dragged him out of the room. They waited until they heard the front door slam shut before turning to each other.

 “We should go tell Ivy that we’re together,” Oswald said, regretfully. “I promised her that I’d tell her what happened during our ‘meeting’.”

 “I love you.”

 “I know.” Oswald couldn’t help standing on his tip-toes to kiss Ed.  _ His boyfriend. Ed his boyfriend ed his boyfriend ed his  _ “I love you too.”

 “No, but I really love you.”

 “And I  _ really  _ love you.”

 They might have carried on like this for a while if they hadn’t been interrupted by a high-pitched squeal and Ivy bounding towards them and wrapping them in a hug. “Welcome to the family!” She said to Ed and he laughed again. Oswald could honestly listen to that sound for hours.

 “Thank you.” Ed looked oddly touched and Oswald leaned over to kiss him, causing another bout of squealing from Ivy.

**Author's Note:**

> comments are appreciated. so are nygmobblepot fanfic ideas/prompts/requests xxx


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